NJ Fishing Reports for the week of 4-14 to 4-20-2008

Please post fishing reports here.......as little or as much detail as you want to give.

Please note: NO SPOT BURNING! Posts burning spots will be Edited or DELETED!
Some veteran fishermen have put in years developing and learning about certain spots.Some of these spots can only handle a few guys at a time. We are losing enough access as it is, due to the unfortunate behavior of a few selfish people. No sense in making it worse.

For some areas, it would be wiser to say:
OutFront (Ocean) OR -- OutBack (Bay) -- if you feel too many people will figure out what you are talking about. "Spot burning" also could involve mentioning something specific only to that area. If you do this, your post may be edited, or deleted. Remember that thousands of people could potentially read these posts. You don't want to be fishing next to ALL of them at the same time!

We post these reports so our community will have a sense of what is working, what is not. We want to show people how to catch fish, rather than where.Even if you struck out or got skunked, it would be helpful to hear that as well.

If you have any additional details you would like to share - weather conditions, tide (incoming, outgoing, ebb, flood) water temps, bait present, or other mention of techniques or plugs used - feel free, as long as you are not overly specific about location.

Some acronyms -

SH - Sandy Hook
NoMoCo - Northern Monmouth County (below the hook to Shark River Inlet SRI)
SoMoCo - Southern Monmouth County (below SRI to Manasquan Inlet)

OC - Ocean County
IBSP - Island Beach State Park
LBI - Long Beach Island

AC - Atlantic County
CISP - Corson's Inlet State Park
CMC - Cape May County
CMR - Cape May Rips


RB - Raritan Bay
BB - Barnegat Bay
CB - Chesapeake Bay
CBBT - Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
DB - Delaware Bay

The week in review 4-14-2008

This has been a more consistent week in terms of bass fishing. The bulk are still being caught in the low light hours, outgoing tide, but more are being reported caught during the incoming on the flats and places where the water has warmed. Bay waters are now in the low to mid-50's.

Flounder fishing is more consistent as well, but lots of chum is required to put any decent catch together.

Bait is reported all over, from the back bays to the front, from spearing to herring to adult bunker, with the gannets, seagulls, and seals taking their share.

This is the first week there has been anything significant reported out front, with a flurry of bass activity at IBSP the other day in front and back.

Meanwhile, the "oil spill" turned out to be sea foam, a naturally occuring combination of dead algae and other organic matter, really a non-issue, but investigated nonetheless.

There are significant numbers of big fish in the Chesapeake bay getting ready to spawn. This bodes well for all up north of that, as I believe the best is yet to come.

The first bluefish have been reported in the Southern reaches of NJ, and I believe it will be a matter of days before they show up in the back bays.

Get ready to take the kids!!


For the freshwater fishermen, the Delaware has been more productive for shad now that the water had edged into the 50's. Fish, many taken on shad darts and small spoons, are spread from Philadelphia to the Water Gap.


NY week in review 4-14-2008:
Freshwater striper fishing in the Hudson is in full swing. Bass have been caught in many places in that river as they push northward getting ready to spawn.

The flounder season is still plodding along, with some decent catches being reported, and some disillusioned fishermen saying the water is still too cold yet. These guys are still trying, hope springs eternal for the fisherman.

Bait in the NY Bight, inlets and back bays is similar to the NJ areas, changing from one day to the next. Some short bass are being caught and released, in anticipation of the season opener April 15.

I believe bluefish will show up in the NY back bays within a few days of being reported in NJ. Again, look for the reports, and get ready to take the kids fishing for bluefish, a great springtime sport for the whole family.

Fished rb today, tried for a little deeper water, channels. Very slow pick for bass from shore, 1 small bass, but caught 2 flounder with my downsized hooks.

Hit RB last night on the outgoing with no luck. Tried worms and clams. I didnt see anyone on the beach hooking up. Hopefully the warm spell this week will really get it going.

Moved outfront the past few days for a change. Yesterday got 3 small bass right before dark with clams, south of SH.

Today same spot, nothing, south/se wind may have shut it down a little. Water out front still a little cold. Think I'm back to the inside for now.

fished outgoing way back clams. 2 bass one 27", other one was only 16" tiny rat.

A few of my friends went out late night to the inside spots, said it was like someone was giving away free money it was so crowded. To top it off, at the most crowded place 4 young people got stranded on a spit of land across a creek. They didn't know there was only 3 feet of water, and called 911. From what I heard it was a circus. I don't wish anyone harm, but people should use their common sense when going into the outdoors. I wonder how much that quasi rescue cost the town in personnel and overtime?

I decided to avoid the bay crowds and fished SH today. Not much action, but there were hundreds of gannets diving on bait about 200 yards offshore, spearing maybe. One small bass 21" on clams, but it was rough, needed 8oz to hold. Not too many others fishing. Saw bass swirling near the surface a little out of my reach. They weren't huge, mostly schoolies, but they wouldn't hit plugs or metal, almost like they were feeding on small life (spearing, anchovies). I think the worm hatch is due soon, but didn't have any teasers, don't usually fish them much.

Action today was slow and puzzling, but the day was beautiful.

Thanks for the report clamchucker. I have been catching mainly small fish up to 24", nothing to write home about. The crowds are starting to get insane with the good weather. :kooky: We need some snotty stormy weather to keep people at home warm and dry. Some buds had been fishing the ocean, but further south, and picking on small bass. Your report gives me a little more faith in going out front to find some space and better numbers.

covered 20 miles of bayshore in th last few hours, not much action, too many people fishing, but I snagged some bunker. Getting ready to go out again, come on big girls!

Went to gk yesterday. After few hours sleep, headed out to RB this morning. Wind was crazy, needed 6 oz to hold bottom. The most promising spot did nothing, so I moved around a little. Only hardcore fishermen out this morning, we're all a little sick to be fishin with 3 foot swells in the bay. :kooky: There must have been a great report in one of the shops, b/c I watched about 20 guys at one small beach brave the wind and swells, none of us hooked up.

Later on moved to another spot, found they had fish early am. Most of the guys had left, but one guy was pulling in a keeper as I got there. Got my gear, spent the next hour with fresh clams and bunker fishing near the bottom of the tide, nothing. I hate low tide in the bay, PITA.

Moved to another popular spot, only 2 guys fishin in 25mph wind. They caught small fish in the morning, and one said he got bit off by a bluefish a few days ago. Don't know if it's true, but the guy fishes over 100 days/year, so it's a possibility.

out back, one bass 27" around sunrise. clams, windy as hell.

Fished a RB hotspot yesterday, incoming. Fishing sucked, tried to catch some z's before the ride home. When I woke up, there was a guy in a silver suv parked next to me. I felt kinda funny because he was waving at me, and didn't look like he was fishing, if ya know what I mean. :kooky: Left the lot quickly at that point. Look, I'm not sure what the deal was, but just wanted to give you people a little advice out there. I thought this was only a problem in the Asbury 8th ave lot, but maybe not. If you see someone when you're fishing, and they don't look like they have fishing gear, and didn't come down just to sight see, or jog, or walk their dog, or walk the beach, ask yourself why they're being so friendly. Me, I don't wanna ask myself too many questions. When I get a creepy feelin, I go with my gut.

The lot I was in is was where they just did a cleanup. a big brown leather easy chair and couple bags of trash were waiting to be picked up. If you fish that beach, you would have to recognize that chair, been sitting there for awhile.

Tried several spots in the RB over the weekend with plugs no luck